Business awards: Week of May 18

■ James Frazier, managing member of McBrayer, has been awarded the 2015 Citizen Lawyer award presented by the Fayette County Bar Association. Frazier was recognized for his desire to maintain and improve the administration of justice, the quality of legal practice and the quality of life for all residents of Fayette County.

■ The Kentucky Celebrates Small Business event took place in the Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort on May 6 with an awards ceremony recognizing outstanding small businesses and small-business people.

Kentucky Small Business Development Center selects Kentucky Pacesetter businesses based on how the nominees are changing Kentucky's economic landscape by introducing innovative products, increasing sales and/or production, boosting employment and serving their communities.

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Kentucky Small Business Person of the Year: Scott Shinn, president and CEO of Sustainment Solutions.

Kentucky 8(a) Graduate of the Year: Kathy Mills, president and CEO of Strategic Communications

Kentucky SBA Resource Partner of the Year: David Oetken, director of Small Business Development Center Louisville

Kentucky Financial Services Advocate of the Year: Mark Strother, president and CEO of Commercial Bank of Grayson

Kentucky Home Based Business of the Year: Nicole Mueller, president and owner of Startup Productions

Kentucky Woman Small Business Advocate of the Year: Michelle Gorman, small business specialist at U.S. Bank of Bowling Green

Kentucky Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Shane Hamilton, president and owner of Service Maids

The Lexington chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners presented its Winners' Circle Award to Dr. Ardis Dee Hoven, past president of the American Medical Association and a Lexington-based infectious disease physician.

Rising Star Award: Kelly King Bakehorn, owner and president of The Grand Reserve and The Barrel House

Legacy Award: Kathy Gornik, president and CEO of Aperture Consulting

■ The 2015 Excellence in Entrepreneurship Awards program is now accepting online nominations for the region's top entrepreneurs in four business categories: For-Profit Business; Start-Up Business; Not-for-Profit Entity; and Young Entrepreneur. Visit Kyean.org for more information on the EIEA program and to make a nomination. The deadline for nominations is June 5.

Entrepreneurs are not recognized enough for their hard work, success, and dedication to the region.

■ Lexington poet Sarah McCartt-Jackson has won the Ballard Poetry Prize for 2015. Her book of poetry, Children Born on the Wrong Side of the River, has just been released. The contest was judged by Larry Thomas, former Poet Laureate of Texas. He called the collection, "Powerfully wrought in luminous language." About 1,000 poets entered the contest, which is now in its fifth year.

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